Subsea connector

Abstract

A wetmate connector includes a plug and receptacle. The plug includes a plug body and the receptacle includes a receptacle body. The plug includes a recess circumscribing its forward end, adjacent to a coarse alignment feature and rearward of a front surface of the plug body. The coarse alignment feature includes a series of three truncated cones, the first and third of the cones including substantially congruent faces, the first and second cones being joined at their maximum diameter and the second and third cones being joined at their minimum diameter. The receptacle body includes a fastener adapted to cooperate with the recess in the forward end of the plug, to latch the plug and receptacle together when mated.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) wetmatable connector, comprising:
 a plug including a plug body defining a forward end and an outer surface, the outer surface including:
 a first truncated cone having a small diameter end positioned adjacent the forward end and a large diameter end positioned away from the forward end; 
 a second truncated cone spaced on a side of the first truncated cone away from the forward end, the second truncated cone having a large diameter end positioned on a forward end of the second truncated cone adjacent the first truncated cone and a small diameter end positioned further from the forward end than the large diameter end; 
 a third truncated cone spaced on a side of the second truncated cone away from the forward end, the third truncated cone having a small diameter end positioned on a forward end of the third truncated cone adjacent the second truncated cone and a large diameter end positioned further from the forward end than the small diameter end, the small diameter end of the second truncated cone and the third truncated cone cooperating to define a recess; and 
 a keyway extending rearwardly from the forward end; 
 
 a receptacle including a receptacle body that defines an opening end and an inner surface; 
 a key coupled to the receptacle body and extending radially inward from the inner surface; and 
 a fastener having a fixed portion connected to the receptacle body and a movable portion that extends inward of the inner surface and is movable into and out of engagement with the recess to connect the plug and the receptacle. 
 
     
     
       2. The connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the key is fixedly mounted to the receptacle body. 
     
     
       3. The connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle body includes a key aperture, and wherein the key is positioned within the key aperture and is removable from the receptacle body. 
     
     
       4. The connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the key comprises a threaded screw. 
     
     
       5. The connector according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the fastener comprises a circlip or a snap ring. 
 
     
     
       6. The connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastener comprises a retaining ring, resilient prongs, or a collet.